Once a bad designer, always a bad designer?

[RudeGuy]

Allow me to explain:

Spoiler: show

Before the official SMBX forums, when Knux's forums and NSMBX forums existed, there wasn't a whole lot of new-comers to the SMBX Community. The few new-comers who came onto the forums had a chance to get their project and levels noticed by the general community. Most were quickly able to pick on designing good levels with the help of SMBX veterans or users who just had been there a while. This is evident in the TOB series. In TOB 5, there were some crappy levels, sure, but for the most part, no level felt repititive, and even the joke levels felt like they were designed by somebody with a good amount of experience under their belt. Also, it felt like the community just got better at designing levels as a whole. This is obvious as most of tier 2 of TOB 4 is WAY better than tier 2 of TOB 2.

However, that all changed with the creation of the Official SMBX forums run by Joey and the eventual fall of Knux's forums. With the creation of the Off. SMBX forums, the SMBX community was opened up to the general public and tons of new users joined the forums. Knux killed off his own forums by changing it into a AOK forum, changing it back into a SMBX forum, changing it into a Dr. Who forum, and finally changing it back into a SMBX forum. With tons of new users, the structure of the community drastically changed. No longer was it a close-knit community where new users had a chance to make a name for themselves and maybe, with hard time-consuming work, make a contest winner, but instead, it became an overstuffed area where it's hard for the administrators to handle all the new users, the project forum became overstuffed with solo projects by new users who had little experience and and aspired to make the project a grand adventure, and the projects (by new users with little experience) rarely ever got finished, and when they did, the episode wasn't really that great.

I think the change of the quality of the levels in the forum depends more on the level forum system (don't you remember that before, in this forum, shitty levels get deleted? Now that this system is gone, new users can learn better on how to design). Also, don't you remember CC7? It had a lot of bad levels, altough it doesn't seem so. The tier 2 was full of average levels. And also, the oldest contests had the tier 2 full of bad levels because there weren't many partecipants (almost 30), I guess.

The Forumer: The forumer's focus isn't in designing levels but really just being known on the forums. He/she doesn't make really good levels, just average to good levels. Of course, they'll usually be well known on the forums and open up several topics in several different subforums, such as "General SMBX Discussion" or "Video Games". Their levels usually end up in tier 2 or high tier 1.

Who really have the goal of being known in the forum. That's a bit dumb. And also, I think their levels end up many more places than tier 2.

Spoiler: show

In my opinion, if you want to end up a good designer and not a bad designer, there's 5 steps I've noticed that have helped me:

1. Before you start designing, start playing. Take mental notes about the design of levels you like and dislike.
2. Study tutorials. Learn about how to make custom gfx and merging backgrounds and stuff like that.
3. Design levels for 2-3 community contests. Your levels should get progressively better with each contest.
4. Make an episode. After designing levels for 2-3 contests, or when you feel comfortable with your level-designing skills, make an episode. Be warned, though. It should be about 3-10 levels long.
5. Continue making levels and taking criticisms. How well did your episode do? What did people like? What did people dislike? Do you feel more confident making a hub or world map?

Have this too, it helps you a bit, altough it isn't really necessary. Also, I think taking criticism on the levels you post and playing good levels (or taking experience) are the best things to do when you want to be better at designing.

[Darkonius Mavakar]

I started as shitty (spooky ghost house, last place)
and got to good (Windy Woodtop, 7th place)

it's a matter of self esteem, and feedback-listening.

[Magna]

In my honest opinion, and I don't want to get flamed for this, but I hate new users here, I despise them.

They are complete noobs when they join and when they create a level and submit it, they either get their topic locked because of a lack of a screenshot, or have a screenshot of a level that looks terrible and no one even bothers to download the level or episode.

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

[Marina]

In my honest opinion, and I don't want to get flamed for this, but I hate new users here, I despise them.

They are complete noobs when they join and when they create a level and submit it, they either get their topic locked because of a lack of a screenshot, or have a screenshot of a level that looks terrible and no one even bothers to download the level or episode.

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

Okay first of all that's incredibly rude to say, especially in public.

Were you any better when you first started making levels in SMBX? Probably not.

Despite popular belief, we DON'T rate and review levels to see who the "best" level designer is or to pull down other users, the level forums are here to give people feedback on their levels and help them become better designers. Everyone starts out small, but if you try to crush them from the moment they start, nothing will ever become of them.

[AirSeus]

In my honest opinion, and I don't want to get flamed for this, but I hate new users here, I despise them.

They are complete noobs when they join and when they create a level and submit it, they either get their topic locked because of a lack of a screenshot, or have a screenshot of a level that looks terrible and no one even bothers to download the level or episode.

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

Okay first of all that's incredibly rude to say, especially in public.

Were you any better when you first started making levels in SMBX? Probably not.

Despite popular belief, we DON'T rate and review levels to see who the "best" level designer is or to pull down other users, the level forums are here to give people feedback on their levels and help them become better designers. Everyone starts out small, but if you try to crush them from the moment they start, nothing will ever become of them.

Thats exactly what has happend to me that crushing thing allways happens to me plus I get shit talked just because my BR's are crap because no one is telling me whatto do.

Anyway, I think you should not pull others down just because they are new, that would be stuipid.

[RudeGuy]

Thats exactly what has happend to me that crushing thing allways happens to me plus I get shit talked just because my BR's are crap because no one is telling me whatto do.

Uhm...

Spoiler: show

Here's some replies about your last boss rush which I find helpful or at least points out something bad you should've fixed:

Also, I played through the game and it contains bad Language in a few of them which isn't a good way of making a Message Box like that since in the regular Mario Game, they are family friendly so they used "normal" Words all the time and not having "bad" Language like this.

Oh wow, I watched bossedit8's playthrough of this, and I was very impressed, and I do indeed think this is your best boss rush by far. However, some of the boss's effects were messed up, and Morton was very glitchy. Also, I was rather unimpressed with the world map. Perhaps consider adding more scenery to it? That's just me, though.

I actually played your episode this time instead of looking at a playthrough, yay for effort! Anyways, overall, even compared to your previous rush, I'd say it was disappointing. Lemme run down the bosses one by one here:
-Koopalings: Not worth detailing separately, as they're all bland reskins with little to no effort put into them. Also, Morton's animations are broken.
-King Boo: FAR too easy.
-Dino Piranha: Coming off King Boo, this one is too hard.
-Shy Guy Bros: Interesting concept, but it's just a Birdo reskin. Nothing to see here.
-Count Bleck: This was almost physically painful to me. This boss had so much potential, yet you only made it a 'stand here for 60 seconds to win' battle! You could have added more and more stuff as time went by to make survival more difficult as Bleck got desperate to defeat you! Wasted potential here.
-IronSider: Meh. Stand in front of him and he can't touch you, and the blocks are still within range.
-Bot 3605: SMB1 Bowser reskin with Rinkas. Bland doesn't even begin to describe this.
-Bowser: Another SMB1 Bowser? Really? Oh, and this was REALLY easy compared to the Bot.
-Final Bowser: Even easier than the first Bowser. Apart from that, it's, again, bland.
So overall, I'd say this is worse than your previous rush, because that one had a couple good ideas that were executed poorly. This has only one, and from the look of things, you just slapped a couple reskins together and called it a day. If you took the same amount of time you spent making this entire episode and put it into one boss, it'd probably be halfway decent, at least much better than most of this episode.

Well, this version is at least better than the previous. For me, the only good boss is the bot. The rest are so easy or repetitive. You don't have any new to show to us?

Also, there so much ways to death after defeat a boss, and that's not good.

All the Koopalings are the same boss fight (expect for Morton and Ludwig)

Your episode are better than the previous, but you need work more in your projects. Good projects need more time to be finished. I think that you made this episode in 4 days/1 week.

More fast made episodes=Less creativity and preparation.

I wait more work from you.

Alright!Im just gonna tell you/say what I think about this Boss Rush of yours!So....consider it like,I don't know....a mini review!

So....well,first of all,I must say that this Boss Rush is much better then your previous ones.Though I must say that some of these things,like Morton,are glitchy,(As said by Kep.)and that there are ways to die,right after you defeat/beat the boss.(As said by Milestroopa.)And the world map could,you know....actually use some more scenery!(Once again,as said by Kep.)

Also,while I am okay the koopalings having the same music played for there boss battles,since they have the same music played for there boss battles in other cannon Mario games,like NSMBWII/NSMB2/NSMBU,super mario bros 3,super mario world,etc,I think that it would have been a little better,if the other bosses had different music played for there boss battles.

But overall,this was,for sure,your best boss rush yet!(IMO/In my opinion at the very least.)So great job!

Ok. lets try this:
-You can improve the way a boss enviroment is planned out BEFORE you think about how the boss itself is planned out.
- it isn't a boss rush without the proper GFX, that is one example of a good boss.
- make better boss levels don't just add the same music to EVERY boss.
- the hub should look better than just a level without BGOs, take NGCA for example
- try making bosses non-tedious for the most part at least
That, my friend, is what you can improve on.

This one above arrived a bit late, but I think if you read this, you could learn on how to make better bosses.

Agreed on what Superiorstar said. Boss graphics are one thing, but the backgrounds and terrain are just as important. You should also put a variety of music in, otherwise even The Battle of Lil' Slugger becomes boring after a while. I'd advise you to go back to a hub level rather than a world map, that suits boss rush episodes better. Oh, and do try to mark or number the boss doors, otherwise the hub becomes VERY confusing after you get a couple stars. Of course, you can also opt for a more linear hub.

Here I can show you that actually someone helped you.

In my honest opinion, and I don't want to get flamed for this, but I hate new users here, I despise them.

They are complete noobs when they join and when they create a level and submit it, they either get their topic locked because of a lack of a screenshot, or have a screenshot of a level that looks terrible and no one even bothers to download the level or episode.

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

I know that newcomers are... Well, noobs, but instead of hating them, you should try helping them with the stuff they do.

[AirSeus]

Thats exactly what has happend to me that crushing thing allways happens to me plus I get shit talked just because my BR's are crap because no one is telling me whatto do.

Uhm...

Spoiler: show

Here's some replies about your last boss rush which I find helpful or at least points out something bad you should've fixed:

Also, I played through the game and it contains bad Language in a few of them which isn't a good way of making a Message Box like that since in the regular Mario Game, they are family friendly so they used "normal" Words all the time and not having "bad" Language like this.

Oh wow, I watched bossedit8's playthrough of this, and I was very impressed, and I do indeed think this is your best boss rush by far. However, some of the boss's effects were messed up, and Morton was very glitchy. Also, I was rather unimpressed with the world map. Perhaps consider adding more scenery to it? That's just me, though.

I actually played your episode this time instead of looking at a playthrough, yay for effort! Anyways, overall, even compared to your previous rush, I'd say it was disappointing. Lemme run down the bosses one by one here:
-Koopalings: Not worth detailing separately, as they're all bland reskins with little to no effort put into them. Also, Morton's animations are broken.
-King Boo: FAR too easy.
-Dino Piranha: Coming off King Boo, this one is too hard.
-Shy Guy Bros: Interesting concept, but it's just a Birdo reskin. Nothing to see here.
-Count Bleck: This was almost physically painful to me. This boss had so much potential, yet you only made it a 'stand here for 60 seconds to win' battle! You could have added more and more stuff as time went by to make survival more difficult as Bleck got desperate to defeat you! Wasted potential here.
-IronSider: Meh. Stand in front of him and he can't touch you, and the blocks are still within range.
-Bot 3605: SMB1 Bowser reskin with Rinkas. Bland doesn't even begin to describe this.
-Bowser: Another SMB1 Bowser? Really? Oh, and this was REALLY easy compared to the Bot.
-Final Bowser: Even easier than the first Bowser. Apart from that, it's, again, bland.
So overall, I'd say this is worse than your previous rush, because that one had a couple good ideas that were executed poorly. This has only one, and from the look of things, you just slapped a couple reskins together and called it a day. If you took the same amount of time you spent making this entire episode and put it into one boss, it'd probably be halfway decent, at least much better than most of this episode.

Well, this version is at least better than the previous. For me, the only good boss is the bot. The rest are so easy or repetitive. You don't have any new to show to us?

Also, there so much ways to death after defeat a boss, and that's not good.

All the Koopalings are the same boss fight (expect for Morton and Ludwig)

Your episode are better than the previous, but you need work more in your projects. Good projects need more time to be finished. I think that you made this episode in 4 days/1 week.

More fast made episodes=Less creativity and preparation.

I wait more work from you.

Alright!Im just gonna tell you/say what I think about this Boss Rush of yours!So....consider it like,I don't know....a mini review!

So....well,first of all,I must say that this Boss Rush is much better then your previous ones.Though I must say that some of these things,like Morton,are glitchy,(As said by Kep.)and that there are ways to die,right after you defeat/beat the boss.(As said by Milestroopa.)And the world map could,you know....actually use some more scenery!(Once again,as said by Kep.)

Also,while I am okay the koopalings having the same music played for there boss battles,since they have the same music played for there boss battles in other cannon Mario games,like NSMBWII/NSMB2/NSMBU,super mario bros 3,super mario world,etc,I think that it would have been a little better,if the other bosses had different music played for there boss battles.

But overall,this was,for sure,your best boss rush yet!(IMO/In my opinion at the very least.)So great job!

Ok. lets try this:
-You can improve the way a boss enviroment is planned out BEFORE you think about how the boss itself is planned out.
- it isn't a boss rush without the proper GFX, that is one example of a good boss.
- make better boss levels don't just add the same music to EVERY boss.
- the hub should look better than just a level without BGOs, take NGCA for example
- try making bosses non-tedious for the most part at least
That, my friend, is what you can improve on.

This one above arrived a bit late, but I think if you read this, you could learn on how to make better bosses.

Agreed on what Superiorstar said. Boss graphics are one thing, but the backgrounds and terrain are just as important. You should also put a variety of music in, otherwise even The Battle of Lil' Slugger becomes boring after a while. I'd advise you to go back to a hub level rather than a world map, that suits boss rush episodes better. Oh, and do try to mark or number the boss doors, otherwise the hub becomes VERY confusing after you get a couple stars. Of course, you can also opt for a more linear hub.

Here I can show you that actually someone helped you.

In my honest opinion, and I don't want to get flamed for this, but I hate new users here, I despise them.

They are complete noobs when they join and when they create a level and submit it, they either get their topic locked because of a lack of a screenshot, or have a screenshot of a level that looks terrible and no one even bothers to download the level or episode.

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

I know that newcomers are... Well, noobs, but instead of hating them, you should try helping them with the stuff they do.

Well, I only see like 2/3 that actally gav me some info on hw to get better, the rest are just complants on how it plas not how to imprve.

[RudeGuy]

Well, I only see like 2/3 that actally gav me some info on hw to get better, the rest are just complants on how it plas not how to imprve.

It's still something, don't you think?

[Superiorstar]

Ok, My turn to Comment on this, once I had a Humongous Turd level called final bowser, it had you jump on Airship Pieces in the lava, and had SMB1 to SMW castles clash with each other, After I finished the level I saw AS30298 Play Tower of Bias 4, Which I saw Had nice Design levels, Then I learned how to use custom GFX and layers and made a Less Turd level. After that I Never Had a Shit level again, As a matter of fact I'm still working on Bowser road (Kep probably remembers it.).

[Flying Brick]

Oh, man, don't get me started on shitty levels. I've been working on the Black Tower LONG before I joined here, and the episode was originally going to have 13 worlds. I had finished up to 9 worlds, too! That is, until I realized most of my levels were REALLY bland and uninteresting. That's when I got the idea to chuck out all but my best level ideas, and ended up scrapping 80-some levels entirely. It was a big blow for me, but afterwards, I cut down on the number of worlds and levels so I could focus on each individual level more. That's also around the time I joined the forums and posted the project on here, and considering the responses it got, it's pretty decent now. So no, there are no lost causes here. Just people who need a little nudge in the right direction, and that's what this community is for, right?

[bossedit8]

I used to make simplified Levels in the past few Years like that they are directed to Nintendo but in my own Style. In "Neuer Super Mario World" (Neuer = Newer), my first SMBX Episode there are over 100 Levels but they aren't all that bad except that it isn't completly unique. Complete playthrough of my first SMBX Episode here:

Spoiler: show

Original Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG8z8iH_Otg

Next, my secondary SMBX Episode is called "Luftschiffattacke / Airship Attack" which was basically a better and longer version of the first one but also even harder. It was surely a improvement of design but still directed to Nintendo at best especially at some remakes of certain Levels. Complete playthroughs:

Spoiler: show

Original Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHWy3mf4CbU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7pByt4eiws

Third SMBX Episode during my developement time of Airship Attack there is a SMBX Episode called "Megamario J.". It was basically a near copy of a PC Game called MegaMari but in Mario Style. The original Game was very difficult especially for the first time playing so by that turning into Mario Style it was also difficult once you play it. There was the time where I released a single Level called "Evil Castle" to NSMBX Forum but at the end it was just horrible since I was new in the Forums and didn't know completly at that time, although I was happy to join back then when I first time joined a SMBX Forum like this. Complete playthrough of my 3rd SMBX Episode here:

Spoiler: show

Original Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0BBwCFFbM4

After my horrible experience at my 3rd Project and that one single Level, I got a high improvement by Level Designing around the Weeks and Months in 2012 and until now, I am very good at designing Levels, even know I rarely get very high at the whole Contest Events but oh well. It is never simple to even get that high anyway.

[HeroLinik]

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

That's exactly what I said in the first post, and sums up my thoughts exactly - the idea that if you make a level that is seen as "bad" by one member, no-one will ever play it as they'll automatically think it's bad, and if someone says it's "good", then everyone will play the level and think it's good. Also, this does refer to the idea that I thought that you have to design like an elite member in order to get your levels accepted and that you can't really design based on your own ability, due to how high the bar is now.

[FanofSMBX]

Yeah I'd be willing to say that a lot of real Nintendo games wouldn't be impressive to much of the elitists here. Probably only Yoshi's Island since it has a bunch of slopes, BGOs, long levels, and hidden stuff. I was this close to making a snide comment about how it also has multiple midpoints but since lunadll exists crisis averted kinda? What I mean is I kinda like levels where you can rush through them you know? And if you don't want it to be over quickly the player can just defeat all enemies, hit all blocks, etc. I do that for fun levels.

[Flying Brick]

I kinda like levels where you can rush through them you know? And if you don't want it to be over quickly the player can just defeat all enemies, hit all blocks, etc. I do that for fun levels.

Yeah, I try to make my levels so they can be rushed through if you really want to, but with enough stuff to last a while in case you enjoy the atmosphere.

[Superiorstar]

Yeah I'd be willing to say that a lot of real Nintendo games wouldn't be impressive to much of the elitists here. Probably only Yoshi's Island since it has a bunch of slopes, BGOs, long levels, and hidden stuff. I was this close to making a snide comment about how it also has multiple midpoints but since lunadll exists crisis averted kinda? What I mean is I kinda like levels where you can rush through them you know? And if you don't want it to be over quickly the player can just defeat all enemies, hit all blocks, etc. I do that for fun levels.

Just because it has lunadll doesn't mean it isn't a bad level.

[FanofSMBX]

I meant lunadll can make multiple checkpoints.

[mariogeek2]

Spoiler: show

Oh, man, don't get me started on shitty levels. I've been working on the Black Tower LONG before I joined here, and the episode was originally going to have 13 worlds. I had finished up to 9 worlds, too! That is, until I realized most of my levels were REALLY bland and uninteresting. That's when I got the idea to chuck out all but my best level ideas, and ended up scrapping 80-some levels entirely. It was a big blow for me, but afterwards, I cut down on the number of worlds and levels so I could focus on each individual level more. That's also around the time I joined the forums and posted the project on here, and considering the responses it got, it's pretty decent now. So no, there are no lost causes here. Just people who need a little nudge in the right direction, and that's what this community is for, right?

Exactly! That is what most new users on the forums try to do: Make a long episode with 6 worlds or more. Most either give up eventually or finish and release it and ends up being crap. That's why I suggested the first episode any new user makes should be 3-10 levels long. That way, the player can focus more time on each individual level.

Spoiler: show

Allow me to explain: Before the official SMBX forums, when Knux's forums and NSMBX forums existed, there wasn't a whole lot of new-comers to the SMBX Community. The few new-comers who came onto the forums had a chance to get their project and levels noticed by the general community. Most were quickly able to pick on designing good levels with the help of SMBX veterans or users who just had been there a while. This is evident in the TOB series. In TOB 5, there were some crappy levels, sure, but for the most part, no level felt repititive, and even the joke levels felt like they were designed by somebody with a good amount of experience under their belt. Also, it felt like the community just got better at designing levels as a whole. This is obvious as most of tier 2 of TOB 4 is WAY better than tier 2 of TOB 2.

However, that all changed with the creation of the Official SMBX forums run by Joey and the eventual fall of Knux's forums. With the creation of the Off. SMBX forums, the SMBX community was opened up to the general public and tons of new users joined the forums. Knux killed off his own forums by changing it into a AOK forum, changing it back into a SMBX forum, changing it into a Dr. Who forum, and finally changing it back into a SMBX forum. With tons of new users, the structure of the community drastically changed. No longer was it a close-knit community where new users had a chance to make a name for themselves and maybe, with hard time-consuming work, make a contest winner, but instead, it became an overstuffed area where it's hard for the administrators to handle all the new users, the project forum became overstuffed with solo projects by new users who had little experience and and aspired to make the project a grand adventure, and the projects (by new users with little experience) rarely ever got finished, and when they did, the episode wasn't really that great.

I think the change of the quality of the levels in the forum depends more on the level forum system (don't you remember that before, in this forum, shitty levels get deleted? Now that this system is gone, new users can learn better on how to design). Also, don't you remember CC7? It had a lot of bad levels, altough it doesn't seem so. The tier 2 was full of average levels. And also, the oldest contests had the tier 2 full of bad levels because there weren't many partecipants (almost 30), I guess.

The point I was trying to make was that the general SMBX community got better at designing levels as a whole. This is evident as TOB 5 is WAY better than TOB 1 or 2. Tier 2 in TOB 6 had a lot of bad levels because cc7 was hosted on the official SMBX forums, which had/has a whole lot of new users with little experience. I'll admit, my level wasn't really that great, because I was still learning how to design levels. Yeah, TOB 5 had not-that-great levels, but none of them had anything really fun or atmosphere killing (except for the joke levels).

Spoiler: show

The Forumer: The forumer's focus isn't in designing levels but really just being known on the forums. He/she doesn't make really good levels, just average to good levels. Of course, they'll usually be well known on the forums and open up several topics in several different subforums, such as "General SMBX Discussion" or "Video Games". Their levels usually end up in tier 2 or high tier 1.

Who really have the goal of being known in the forum. That's a bit dumb. And also, I think their levels end up many more places than tier 2.

My definition of "The forumer" may have been a little off, but it's close enough I suppose. The forumer isn't really engaged in the SMBX aspect, but he/she posts on the forum occasionally. Sub-classes of the forumer include the troll (self explanatory), the fame seeker (self explanatory), and others. He/she may not be seeking fame, but just something to wittle away the time or somebody to talk to.

Spoiler: show

In my opinion, if you want to end up a good designer and not a bad designer, there's 5 steps I've noticed that have helped me:

1. Before you start designing, start playing. Take mental notes about the design of levels you like and dislike.
2. Study tutorials. Learn about how to make custom gfx and merging backgrounds and stuff like that.
3. Design levels for 2-3 community contests. Your levels should get progressively better with each contest.
4. Make an episode. After designing levels for 2-3 contests, or when you feel comfortable with your level-designing skills, make an episode. Be warned, though. It should be about 3-10 levels long.
5. Continue making levels and taking criticisms. How well did your episode do? What did people like? What did people dislike? Do you feel more confident making a hub or world map?

Have this too, it helps you a bit, altough it isn't really necessary. Also, I think taking criticism on the levels you post and playing good levels (or taking experience) are the best things to do when you want to be better at designing.

Thanks, that could be useful. But I suppose that goes under step 2: Study tutorials. Also, about submitting levels for the criticism, most levels posted by new users suffer from the exact same design flaws: Bland or flat design with little to no scenery or BGOs, clashing graphics, no custom gfx where they're needed, and/or spamming/misuse of NPCs/blocks. All of that stuff the new user could learn is bad design just by examining good levels/levels they like, studying tutorials, and seeking advice from veteran designers. That saves the trouble/effort of them designing a level, submitting that level to the forums, and then being criticised by a level judge and other users for their bad level design.

Spoiler: show

In my honest opinion, and I don't want to get flamed for this, but I hate new users here, I despise them.

They are complete noobs when they join and when they create a level and submit it, they either get their topic locked because of a lack of a screenshot, or have a screenshot of a level that looks terrible and no one even bothers to download the level or episode.

It is so annoying to have to deal with them because of how noobish they are. Sure they can get better, but they can at least join the forums with some experience.

Okay first of all that's incredibly rude to say, especially in public.

Were you any better when you first started making levels in SMBX? Probably not.

Despite popular belief, we DON'T rate and review levels to see who the "best" level designer is or to pull down other users, the level forums are here to give people feedback on their levels and help them become better designers. Everyone starts out small, but if you try to crush them from the moment they start, nothing will ever become of them.

Well, at least he was being honest. Seriously though, in a way, I hate new users on the forums too. Most (And when I say most I mean 95%) of new users on the forums want to get started on designing levels automatically(I was guilty of that when I first joined Knux's forums as well). The problem is new users don't have much experience, and any levels they make are probably "overused" themes. I don't promote the bullying or putting down of new users, but I just wish there would be some sort of announcement or something that would tell new users to work on their design skills before making levels. And, yeah, Blue Bomber, you were a little rude.

I meant lunadll can make multiple checkpoints.

You can make multiple checkpoints without lunadll. I know the tutorial topic is somewhere hidden in general SMBX discussion.

[FanofSMBX]

Okay come on guys they're NOOBS! That's why they're "new" users! They're new! They don't have experience and they shouldn't be not allowed to join just because of that.

[HenryRichard]

As Henry Ford said, "He who believes he can and he who believes he cannot are both right." In other words, if you believe you'll always be a bad designer, you will always be a bad designer. If you believe that you're a good designer, you'll at least improve.

[mariogeek2]

As Henry Ford said, "He who believes he can and he who believes he cannot are both right." In other words, if you believe you'll always be a bad designer, you will always be a bad designer. If you believe that you're a good designer, you'll at least improve.

If you want to and believe you can, you can become a good level designer. But, like any skill, it takes practice and hard work to get better at.